Key-action for musical instruments.



PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

B. R. KIESSIG. KEY ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.25. 1905.

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The stationary rest (1 which consists prefer- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNHARD R. KIESSIG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MUSIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

KEY-ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 25,1905. Serial No. 275,781.

No. 853,884. Patented May 14, 1907.

To all whom, it may concern: and is free to rise during the action of the Be it known that I, BERNHARD R. K1Es mechanism, as will be hereinafter described. SIG, acitizen of the United States, residing at In order to prevent excessive lateral play, Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of the fulcrum piece has slots 7L1 at the upper Illinois, have invented a certain new and l portion thereof for receiving the key f. I useful Improvement in Key-Actions for Behind the fulcrum piece suitable rests 'i Musical Instruments, of which the following are provided, these being preferably covered is a specification. by felt or other soft, cushioning fabric. In This invention is particularly applicable order to guide the key in its vertical moveto portable instruments wherein the strings ment said lever is provided with a lug or pin are struck by keys somewhat after the man f extending downwardly therefrom and nor of the instrument shown in Letters Pat adapted to fit within slots in the guide mement No. 752,782, issued to me February 23, ber By preference, said guide member is 1904. somewhat similar in. construction to the The object of the present invention is to bridge piece It, consisting of an approximately obtain an improved bearing for the key. I arched-shaped piece of metal formed from a obtain this object by the mechanism illussingle sheet of material. One advantage in trated in the accompanying drawings in the above described construction of the which: guide member and fulcrum piece h is that Figure 1 is a perspective view of a single they may be blanked out and formed by dies key together with its hammer and mountin not to exceed two operations, the resulting ings which embody the invention. Figs. 2 structure being simple, strong and durable. and 3 are side views of the same showing the In front of the fulcrum piece 71., a retractile parts in different positions. Fig. 4 is a fragspring 75 is mounted, one end being fastened mentary perspective view showing the botto a suitable portion of the stationary frame tom of the key and the construction of the work m, and the other end being attached to lugs thereon. the key in front of the fulcrum or pivot 9. Similar letters refer to similar parts The forward extremity of the key is connectthroughout the several views. ed to the hammer lover a at a point near the The hammer a is pivoted upon the sta I fulcrum of the latter, and in the preferred tionary bar or rod 1), and. extends in both diconstruction, the connecting link is stiff and rections therefrom. The forward portion of is articulately connected to the forward exsaid hammer is the longest and carries the tremity of the key and the rear extremity of hammer head a adapted to strike the retne hammer lever. The parts are so arspective sounding string 0 of the instrument. ranged that when the key is depressed the forward extremity of the key will rise and cause the hammer head a to descend on to the string 0 or whatever sounding member is employed. By employing a stiff. link as shown, said link not only operates under tension but under compression also, thereby controlling the action of the key in both directions and rendering it possible for a single spring Ir to ably of felt is arranged. to limit the upward motion ofthe keys. The rear portion of the hammer is comparatively short, as shown, and is connected by means of a link 0, or other suitable device, to the forward extremity of the key Said key is provided with an ordinary linger piece f at the rear extremity thereof and between its ends said key is pivoted upon a rod or pin 9 cradled in the fulcrum piece h. In the preferred. construction here shown, said key consists of a metallic blade vertically arranged, and the fulcrum piece consists of sheet metal bent up so to have legs thereon and having a depression in the top thereof adapted to rcceive and pivotally support the rod or pin 9.

By means of this construction the rod g of the key merely rests upon the fulcrum piece but to also return the hammer head to normal or raised position away from the sound- 1 ing member of the instrument. By this arl rangement, in which a single spring is ade quate to completely control the operation of the mechanism, it is obvious that the mechanism is simple in construction and cannot readily get out of order; moreover, the actlon will be complete and positive no matter in what position the instrument is held. This not only return the key to normal position feature however relates more particularly to a key action and is not claimed herein, this being the sub ect of a separate application 1.906, Serial No.

I f at a point in front of the pivot or fulcrum thereof. In the best construction, here shown, said damper lever consists of a flat piece of metal having some resiliency and being so formed that at least the lower portion of said arm is adapted to yield in a direction toward and from the sounding member 0. This, too, is an advantageous feature of my device, for by it the damper arm is practically of a single piece with the key lever and there are no joints or connections whicn are liable to get out of order.

In operation, when the keyf is depressed the forward extremity of the ke lever rises and causes the hammer head (L to be lowered toward the sounding member The parts are so constructed, however, that the key]' contacts the rests i before the hammer head reaches the sounding member, that is, when the hammer head is in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. If the key were lowered very slowly the hammer head would never reach the sounding member, but the necessary overthrow, which must take place in the normal operation of a mechanism of this class, is provided for by the cradle construction of the pivot of the key levers, for by reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the pivot g is permitted to rise to a slight distance out of its bearing in the fulcrum piece 72, thereby permitting the final or overthrow movement of the hammer head. As soon this overthrow has taken place the retractile spring 7c draws the key lever down to a bearing and thereby raises the hammer again to the position shown in. dotted lines, Fig. 2. As long as the key remains depressed, the damper e l will remain lifted away from the sounding member 0 and permit the same to prolong its sound, and yet by means of the arrangement shown, the hammer, as soon as .it has struck the sounding .member, will rise therefrom sufficiently to not interfere with. the vibration of the sounding member.

What I claim as new and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a key action the combination of a hammer, a key artieulately connected thereto for operating the same, a fulcrum pin fixed with reference to said key, and a fulcrum piece for pivotally supporting said pin, said fulcrum piece having a depression formed in the upper portion thereof wherein said pin rests.

2. In a key action the combination of a hammer, a key artioulatcly connected thereto for operating the same, a fulcrum pin fixed with. reference to said key, and a fillcrum piece for pivotall y supporting said pin, said fulcrum piece having an open depression formed in the upper portion thereof wherein said pin rests.

3. In a key action, the combination of a hammer, a key, a fulcrum pin. which is fixed with reference to said key, a fulcrum piece having a depression in the top for cradling said pin, and connections between. said harm mer and said key whereby when the key is depressed, the resistance of the hammer tends to press the fulcrum pin down into said depression. in the fulcrum piece.

4. In. a key action, the combination of a hammer, a key connected thereto for operating the same, a key rest for limiting the downward movement of said key, a fulcrum pin .in said key, and a fulcrum piece having a depression for sinaporting said pin, said depression being open at the top whereby the key is permitted to rise and lift said. pin from its seat during the ()VOl'tlll'OW period of the hammer.

In a key action, the combination of a key, a fulcrum pin and a fulcrum piece for pivotally supporting said fulcrum. piece consisting of sheet metal bent up so as to have supporting legs formed thereon and a depression in the top for supporting said pin, whereby the pin is cradled in the fulcrum piece and is prevented from horizontal movement transverse to its axis.

key, a fulcrum pin, and a fulcrum piece for pivotally supporting said pin, said fulcrum piece consisting of a single piece of sheet metal bent into such form to have supporting legs formed integral therewith and a depression located in the upper portion of the fulcrum piece for cradling said pin, and said fulcrum piece having slots in its upper portion running transverse to said depression for receiving and guiding the key. i

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

l BERNHARD R. KIESSIG;

Witnesses Josnrn NionoLAs VAsEY, HowAnD M. Cox.

6. In a key action, the combination. of a 

